Seeing More

I am not a birder, but I do enjoy seeing birds and trying to identify them.  Occasionally I check out other blogs to find out what locals are seeing.  I came across one very interesting blog that has encouraged me to look among the ordinary to see the extraordinary.  You may be scratching your head at that remark, but if you checkout the blog (URL- http://dereksnest.blogspot.com) you will see what I mean.  In the past every time I saw a flock of Canada Geese, I would look away due to lack of interest in this overly common species.  Who knew that other more unusual birds can sometimes be found in with Canada Geese. Well, I certainly didn’t.  Now whenever I see a flock of them, I scour the lot looking for something different and special.  Doing this reminds me a little of when my son and I studied the pictures in his Where’s Waldo books.  It can be a big challenge, but the payoff can be bigger. If you like learning about birds, I recommend you check out Derek's blog. It has helped me to see more during my walks.

Brown Creeper

This morning there was still a lot of snow on some of the paths at the Connetquot River State Park. However, my hard work trekking through the snow and slush paid off, because today I saw a Brown Creeper. When I saw him, I thought at first he was a nuthatch, but when I zoomed in on the photograph, I realized my mistake. Nuthatches and Brown Creepers are similar in appearance and behavior; both are small birds that climb trees.  Although Brown Creepers are not rare birds, I must admit that I have never seen until today.

Foxes

Strolling about Oakdale yesterday, I came across couple of foxes. Although it is becoming fairly common to see foxes in my neighborhood, I am still delighted when I see one. Someone later informed me that where I saw this fox, he had been seeing a pair together everyday around the same time. Since the fox mating season begins around January and continues through to March, I suspect I'll be seeing new kits in the spring.

A Junco in the Snow

Golden-Crowned Kinglet

On a cold snowy day last week, I saw this adorable Golden-Crowned Kinglet near the Bourne Mansion in Oakdale. Leafing through the guide books, I found the following description which I think nicely sums him up: "A tiny effervescent, and crisply patterned pixie of a bird. Despite the diminuitive size (smaller than any warbler), Golden-crowned is a overall neckless and plump--a dumpling with a petite pointy bill,  beady black eyes, and a short, narrow, deeply notched tail."  Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide